Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Founding of a Chapter; Day 1, painting a tank.


So I got off work and decided to take it easy for a few hours. I played some video games and just surfed the web for a while. Then I checked my blog, thus reminding me I was supposed to post today (wednesday, seeing as it will be after midnight by the time I hit post). So I grabbed some of my "finished" assembled products, went outside and grabbed some bug repellent, (not a nid joke, the bugs were biting bad tonight) and my primer and sprayed away.


After some very irritating bites and some detailed priming, I had three razor backs and my deathcompany primed. I feel like one of those cooking shows. I skipped the assembly steps and went straight to the "this is what the final product looks like". I'll try and remember some in progress pictures for some, but most are going to be painting and such.

Speaking of which, I took the old rhino I had gotten off of ebay and decided to do my test painting on it. DISCLAIMER! I have never painted a tank before in my life. It took me many a months to learn how to paint power armor. I learned to paint the organic look of Tyranids, this is arse backwards painting to me.
Yes it looks horrible, I know. This is my first layer of paint. May the Omnisah have mercy on this APC. I'm hoping a few more watered layers will help things out. Maybe a wash, highlights and other colors may help as well. Here is to hoping it turns out decent.

So Day 1 report doesn't bring much actually done, but it has been a learning experience. And this update schedule has already helped keep me working. I may just get things done yet.

The back of my mind keeps going "There are no biomorphs! THERE ARE NO BIOMORPHS!!" I just keep telling myself it is like painting all carapace.
Any Tread-heads out there have any pointers?

2 comments:

  1. I don't think I could paint a tank without my airbrush now.

    or at least an appropriately coloured spray primer.

    I need that flat even coat you can only get from aerosolised oaint :)

    the first vehicle I ever painted was a rhino (when the rhino kit was new, yes, the first one) and it came out looking not unlike what you have there.

    my basecoat was thick, uneven and laden with brushstrokes, my drybrushing was too wet and horribly streaky. and the leat said about my 12 year old "freehand" the better.

    I guess what I'm saying is don't feel bad. vehicles are a huge learning curve that still intimidate me today. it takes me a while to pluck up the courage to start one. thankfully now I'm usually fairly content with the results.

    If I had a suggestion for you at this point short of the expenditure required to buy an airbrush, I'd say keep at it, you can get smooth paint and good coverage with a big old brush, but it's going to take some work.

    and you can always disguise a rough cout with some weathering, grime, damage and markings, so that people wot focus on your base colour.

    good luck !

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  2. I still paint my tanks with a brush. I use slightly thinned paints and apply 2-3 coats to get a solid even look.

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